Oil changes are a key component of routine car care
It’s not just luck that keeps your car performing well for years. Your choice of a vehicle, your driving habits, and your attention to maintenance all impact how long your car will last. Here are a few tips to help get the most out of your car.
Maintenance tips: Why buy OEM parts
The market is saturated with high-quality and lesser quality vehicles. It’s important to do your homework before you decide what vehicle to buy. Look at reliability scores. Check out reviews on the vehicle you’re interested in. Consider expert ratings to help you find a vehicle you can expect to last for years. Do a test drive at the dealership so you can evaluate the car. If you’re buying a pre-owned model, review the vehicle history report and have it evaluated by a mechanic you trust.
Although spending time at the service bay when nothing seems to be wrong with your vehicle can feel like a waste of time. It’ isn’t. It’s an investment into your driving future when you follow the maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual.
“Catch a problem early, and you’ll save money and likely extend the life of your vehicle. To get to the holy grail of 200,000 miles, you need to service your car as suggested,’ advises MoneyTalksNews.com writer Melissa Nieman.
Not only do you need to follow the recommended maintenance schedule of your vehicle to keep it running well, but you also need a mechanic you can trust to do the work. Unless you are very skilled at automotive repair, and even if you are, handing your car over to a professional mechanic is in your best interest. Professional mechanics have access to the right equipment and the right OEM parts when working on your car. Don’t settle for inferior work or inferior parts to save money on vehicle maintenance.
DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. See more articles by DeAnn.
